Hi all! I have a successful business selling vintage clothing on Ebay and soon on my own web site as well. I am trying to spend less time in photo production, as now I spend way too much time in photoshop. Thus, a new manniquin, more lighting, open space for her with a white cloth background, but my 4+ year old Nikon coolpix 4300 is giving me false messages, acting funky, and has no image stabilizing, so I have to always use a flash for clear pics, causing severe shadows and other problems. What low to mid priced camera should I buy? How about the panasonic LZ3? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks! Lucylove.
PS I am concerned about noise, as I must use photoshop to disappear mannequin base and such adjustments and size pics way down. I don't need alot of zoom. I don't need a lot of pixels for online photos. Thanks!

Lighting and a tripod is far more important than exactly which camera you're using although I'd suggest one with manual control. With enough light and tripod, once you've found the correct exposure all you have to do is move the clothes onto and off the tripod. It might help if you describe the lighting you're using.

Hi ac. Thank you so much for your response! I must move about with the camera, shooting the mannequin set up with outfit and accessories, the close-up of sleeve, the close-up of details of the garment, front and back, and a tripod will make it impossible for me to move about and shoot from many angles. I am adding many lights, clamp type with 150 floods, and want to be able to shoot without a flash, but therefore I need image stabilization, I think? What do you mean move the clothes onto and off the tripod? Do you mean on to and off the mannequin? Moving the mannequin and the tripod would be hell, so moving me with the camera is what is needed, and therefore my concern about clear photos caused by my slight human shaking. Any ideas or other suggestions?

Lighting and a tripod is far more important than exactly which camera you're using although I'd suggest one with manual control. With enough light and tripod, once you've found the correct exposure all you have to do is move the clothes onto and off the tripod. It might help if you describe the lighting you're using.

Yes, I meant mannequin. If you have enough light so that you can use the lowest ISO the the LZ3/LZ5 will work as will a number of other cameras. I'd be inclined to suggest the LZ5 as the extra MP will give a little more cropping room.

If you can't bring enough light on the subject to use the lowest ISO then I'd suggest a DSLR such as the Pentax K10d or K110d that build stabilization into the body coupled with an f1.8/f2 macro lens in the 50 to 85mm focal length range. The larger sensor of the DSLR will let you use higher ISOs without noise and a fast lens means that you may not need to use as high an ISO. Zoom isn't really needed as you can move around your subject.

If you can't bring enough light on the subject to use the lowest ISO then I'd suggest a DSLR such as the Pentax K10d or K110d that build stabilization into the body coupled with an f1.8/f2 macro lens in the 50 to 85mm focal length range.

Littel error.... there you meant K100D.... the 110D is the one of the line that has no stableization. (and so lesser price tag than the 100D)

PS I adore my K10D if you can aford the extra $$$, after several months it is still pulling off things well, I never initially expected of it.... always nice to have those pleasant surprises from a camera, on a still several times a week basis.

And though geting scarcer due to the K's really taking off and more expensive by the day, 40 years of excellent used lenses to choose from (the others can't really say... plus because of body IS... even an antique manual is stableized)

In fact there is even an (3rd party) adapter for Canon to use old Pentax M42 screw mount lenses.... yet not one for their own of equal vintage (I've seen)

The current Pentax K's will take pretty much any 35mm Pentax lens ever made (though the screw mounts also require an adapter) .. with lens type functionality limitations.... no an old manual will not become AF, etc.

Get some decent lighting, and a tripod for the camera. Setup a corner studio and you should be in business.[/*]

The Canon SD500 (several years old) 7.1MP has a remote capability where by you can attach it to the laptop/computer and take control taking remote pictures. Thus you can setup your shooting area, turn the laptop/monitor towards the mannequin and make adjustments seeing them immediately via the monitor. With a remote shoot button, you are all set to do what every you want. With the camera on the tripod - not moving, you have the best of all worlds. The Pentax K10D also just received an upgrade to allow this remote capability also. I am sure that other makes and models offer the same capability.[/*]

Put the Manniquine on wheels, and move/turn it around. Also cameras are pretty cheap. Get 2 - one for the tripod that is always setup and the other for the walkaround closeup shots. 2 P&amp;S cameras for under $500 total (the one on the tripod does not have to be image stablized).[/*]

The Pentax K100D has image stablization and you can pickup used autofocus 50mm f1.2, f1.4, f1.7, f1.8 and f2.0 lens on ebay for under $100
[/*]

I think the Pentax K100D would be fantastic for your uses. With a DA 40, you would have a n amazing fashion setup.

I should mention the Sony A100 has image stabalization too but I don't know a lot about that camera. Also, I understand Nikon is selling some of their IS lenses pretty cheap, to compete with Pentax and Sony.

I should mention the Sony A100 has image stabalization too but I don't know a lot about that camera. Also, I understand Nikon is selling some of their IS lenses pretty cheap, to compete with Pentax and Sony.

Well that is more comparable to the Pentax K10D, and without going pont by point, and just using Steve's (who's opinion I respect... even it weren't the case) Best ranking of sub $1000 SLR's, the Pentax K10D is number one, with the A100 number three and Nikon D80 between them.... Pentax also give you a lot of great old glass (lenses) to choose from SONY/Minolta doesn't as they have changed their mounts several times.

And Canon is possibly lucky that they are priced out of the comparisson by price, personally I would and did choose the K10Dover the aging Canon 30D, even though it meant selling off some lenses from my old Canon Rebel 300D (a couple I kept as well as the body as a back up danger situation SLR)

Best ranking of sub $1000 SLR's, the Pentax K10D is number one, with the A100 number three and Nikon D80 between them....

I would not suggest the K10D is a bad camera. I think it's great and expect I will own one as soon as my local store can manage to get their hands on some stock. That said, I think the K100D is a better camera for lucylove's purposes. Yes... better.

To back that opinion, I cite one stop more sensitivity, smaller, lighter, and more affordable. With the more sensitive camera, she'll be able to shoot faster shutter speeds for sharper images. She said she wanted to shoot hand held.

I really don't think any of the +/- comparisons are that relevant. I have no doubt lucylove could use any number of cameras and create fantastic images. Certainly, she could create world class images with a K10D. What I am suggesting, however, is the K100D might be a great camera for her needs and perhaps prefferable, in terms of both performance and price
, for lucylove's purposes.

Of course, if lucy wants to really get into it and have some off camera flash, the K10D would be a better choice since it can control an off camera flash directly while the K100D cannot without using remote control modules.